Palm Springs vs Provincetown

[YourMascMuscle]

I must have been at the well attended concert with Broadway diva Barbara Cook on that night in 1999.

This reminds me of the stories I've been told about cruising in certain spots in Central Park.

[+ JEC]

East coast boy here, never been to PS. Provincetown is a beautiful special place. It's the gayest place east of the Mississippi. As someone else mentioned, you don't need a car in fact a car is a liability. You can walk (or bike) the entire town easily. The town is crowded, but that's part of the charm - there is a real "vibe" on Commercial Street, you can easily get a room off the main drag where it will be quieter. "In season" is Memorial to Labor Day and there are theme weeks throughout the season, so check the schedule before you book - make sure you want to be there on family week, bear week, women's week, etc. There are a handful of bars and 100+ great restaurants to choose from. The beaches are stunning. As a young man Provincetown changed my life. As a child of upstate NY my world was very small until had the opportunity to go to PTown a few summers (during college) and learned about the cornucopia of men and opportunity out there. I eventually moved to Boston where I still live, and visit PTown occasionally. These days I much prefer PTown off season. During the Spring/Fall there are much fewer people (still enough to be fun) and still many stores/restaurants open. I have been a few times in the dead of winter and it's eerily and beautifully quiet. NY Eve is actually a great time to go to PTown, if you can stand the winter there is a small crowd and the bars are fun. There is also a bear weekend during the winter. The town used to be more of a "living" working class/fishing town with the seasonal summer gay crowd, time and money has driven almost all the townies out and you can't touch real estate for < $1m. Even the schools all closed a few years ago b/c there are so few children left in town. As for Dick Dock, it was much more of a thing - in fact was wild back in the day (lots of) guys would literally meet under a dock at the edge of town after the bars closed. It's much less so now, but the streets are cruisy late at night (and, of course there's always Grindr). PTown is a must for your bucket list.......? Oh, if you do go.....stay at the Carpe Diem Guest House (& Spa) the enclosed courtyard and spa are clothing optional.

[YourMascMuscle]

East coast boy here, never been to PS. Provincetown is a beautiful special place. It's the gayest place east of the Mississippi. As someone else mentioned, you don't need a car in fact a car is a liability. You can walk (or bike) the entire town easily. The town is crowded, but that's part of the charm - there is a real "vibe" on Commercial Street, you can easily get a room off the main drag where it will be quieter. "In season" is Memorial to Labor Day and there are theme weeks throughout the season, so check the schedule before you book - make sure you want to be there on family week, bear week, women's week, etc. There are a handful of bars and 100+ great restaurants to choose from. The beaches are stunning. As a young man Provincetown changed my life. As a child of upstate NY my world was very small until had the opportunity to go to PTown a few summers (during college) and learned about the cornucopia of men and opportunity out there. I eventually moved to Boston where I still live, and visit PTown occasionally. These days I much prefer PTown off season. During the Spring/Fall there are much fewer people (still enough to be fun) and still many stores/restaurants open. I have been a few times in the dead of winter and it's eerily and beautifully quiet. NY Eve is actually a great time to go to PTown, if you can stand the winter there is a small crowd and the bars are fun. There is also a bear weekend during the winter. The town used to be more of a "living" working class/fishing town with the seasonal summer gay crowd, time and money has driven almost all the townies out and you can't touch real estate for < $1m. Even the schools all closed a few years ago b/c there are so few children left in town. As for Dick Dock, it was much more of a thing - in fact was wild back in the day (lots of) guys would literally meet under a dock at the edge of town after the bars closed. It's much less so now, but the streets are cruisy late at night (and, of course there's always Grindr). PTown is a must for your bucket list.......? Oh, if you do go.....stay at the Carpe Diem Guest House (& Spa) the enclosed courtyard and spa are clothing optional.

I am SOLD on Ptown

[+ Lucky]

At this moment, it is 34 degrees in P-town and 86 in Palm Springs. Hmm. I'll take Palm Springs after all.

[+ WilliamM]

At this moment, it is 34 degrees in P-town and 86 in Palm Springs. Hmm. I'll take Palm Springs after all.

I enjoy living on the east coast fairly near the Atlantic Ocean and New York City. Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania.

 

I was close to Palm Springs once - in August, many years ago. Too hot

[curt gregory]

Guys - other than being both gay-and dog-friendly, these towns are very different in both climate and temperament. We’ve owned in both places, and the earlier comment was spot on: if you can afford it, mid-September through May in PSP and June - Sept. in Ptown would be an ideal life. If you can only have one place, I think PSP is the only option since the “season” is so much longer. Winter in Ptown is LONG, cold, and lonely. OTOH, while summer in PSP is hot, at least it’s always sunny, it doesn’t snow, and the Coast is 2 hours away. (And don’t get me started on shopping at that nasty Stop ‘n Shop on Shank Painter in Ptown!).

Don’t get me wrong: Ptown is charming, romantic, and filled with wonderful restaurants, bars, art, and men. I just feel that it would be a tough place to live full time for more than 12 weeks. As for vacationing, both places are wonderful for gays of all ages. Sure, the activities are different, but they’re both delightful in their own way.

[+ IronMaus]

Restaurants are top notch in P-town - atmospheric, delicious (sea)food, and they poor as heavy as strip clubs! Aside from the occasional Masshole, Ptown is more of a small town friendly with a stronger sense of community. Everyone knows everyone and people help each other out a lot. I asked a guy if he knew where I could get pot and he said himself, and these two other options and why I might prefer them - that has NEVER happened to anyone I know- and this guy was a squatter! You won't find that sort of friendliness in PS unless you are young, hot AND willing.

 

Hotels are nicer in Palm Springs, there is a larger variety of hot older guys, and house rental options are top notch - can't get your own pool in Ptown! CCBC (15 minutes form PS) is also a must-see in Palm Springs.

[+ WilliamM]

What about Rancho Mirage, California and Truro, Massachusetts?

 

Willie Mays lives in Rancho Mirage

[OCClient]

I'm not TOO much into the younger crowds. If they are mature then it's all good lol. But Ptown being a little older (at least I heard that) is something that also appealed to me.

We stayed in a 200 year old B&B in Wellsfleet, that was haunted. ?

[Marlfox]

In recent years I’ve spent a week in each, late February in Palm Springs and early July in Provincetown. I loved both, but for vacations I would recommend PT first. Principally because nearly everything, bars, restaurants, galleries are concentrated in the same area and can be reached on foot. I stayed with friends in Palm Springs and they showed me the sights by car.

However if I had the choose which town to live in, I’d opt for Palm Springs because of the weather.

[+ JEC]

In recent years I’ve spent a week in each, late February in Palm Springs and early July in Provincetown. I loved both, but for vacations I would recommend PT first. Principally because nearly everything, bars, restaurants, galleries are concentrated in the same area and can be reached on foot. I stayed with friends in Palm Springs and they showed me the sights by car.

However if I had the choose which town to live in, I’d opt for Palm Springs because of the weather.

Agreed, PTown would be a difficult place to live year-round the town is literally a ghost town from Thanksgving until Spring. The year-round population is about 3000, while it is 60,000 in summer. Unless you are wired for that kind of solitude. Many affluent gays do the snowbird thing, summer in PTown and winter in PS, Key West, Ft Lauderdale or the like.

 

BTW Ogunquit Maine is also a gay mecca on the East Coast, similar to PTown but on a much smaller (and more spread out) scale. If the crowds of PTown turn you off, check out Ogunquit. Just 1 hour drive north of Boston.

[+ JEC]

Carnival week in PTown:

Commercial Street Vibe:

Beyond the chaos:

[marylander1940]

Ok so someone was just enlightening me on Provincetown and compared it as being the Palm Springs of the east coast. I have never been to either and I'm curious what other people's view is on this comparison. Which do you perfer more and why?

 

 

 

Spend summer in Ptown and bring a sweater at night, and the rest of the year in Palm Springs with a hat and plenty of moisturizer lotion.

 

at 38 you'll be younger than most in Ptown and a teenager in Palm Springs A.K.A. "God's waiting room".

 

[kingsley88]

Do you guys remember this 90s movie called "Lie Down with Dogs" ? I just remember how it was about a jobless New Yorker in his 20s who goes to Provincetown for the summer to search for a houseboy job. Just watched clips of it on youtube that will give you an idea of what the main street looks like and the beaches in the summer:

[italianboyph]

Ok so someone was just enlightening me on Provincetown and compared it as being the Palm Springs of the east coast. I have never been to either and I'm curious what other people's view is on this comparison. Which do you perfer more and why?

 

I would never make that comparison. Palm Springs is closest to Fort Lauderdale then anything

[Rudynate]

I've never been to either place.

 

I suspect I will go to PS sometime this year. It seems chock full of sexy dads into edgy sex.

 

It is a popular retirement destination for guys from San Francisco. Oscar Wilde said of San Francisco - " “It's an odd thing, but anyone who disappears. is said to be seen in San Francisco." I have changed it to "anyone who disappears. is said to be seen in Palm Springs." Guys that you used to see around in San Francisco invariably turn up retired in Palm Springs.

 

I don't see myself living there - I imagine it to be an endless series of conversations about "Golden Girls" episodes and what a marvelous actress Betty White is.

 

I just mentioned to my husband that we probably ought to go to P-town one of these days.

[+ JEC]

I've never been to PS, but the comparison seems to be "West Coast Retirement Desert Oasis" VS "East Coast Summer Beach Resort for all ages".

[+ JEC]

And, it is worth noting that PTown is home of the oldest continuously running gat bar in the US (The Atlantic House or simply A-House)

[Cari]

I would never make that comparison. Palm Springs is closest to Fort Lauderdale then anything

 

I agree, first time I went to Fort Lauderdale it definitely reminded me of Palm Springs with a beach

[+ Charlie]

Agreed, PTown would be a difficult place to live year-round the town is literally a ghost town from Thanksgving until Spring. The year-round population is about 3000, while it is 60,000 in summer. Unless you are wired for that kind of solitude. Many affluent gays do the snowbird thing, summer in PTown and winter in PS, Key West, Ft Lauderdale or the like.

 

BTW Ogunquit Maine is also a gay mecca on the East Coast, similar to PTown but on a much smaller (and more spread out) scale. If the crowds of PTown turn you off, check out Ogunquit. Just 1 hour drive north of Boston.

We stayed in Ogunquit once, but the gay life was so subtle that we couldn't find it. Of course, that was more than a half century ago, so things have probably changed.

[Guest]

And, it is worth noting that PTown is home of the oldest continuously running gat bar in the US (The Atlantic House or simply A-House)

The White Horse Inn in my native Oakland used to make that claim as well. It looks like 5 gay bars in the US make that claim, but it might be New Orleans' Cafe Lafitte in Exile which wins the prize.

http://www.newnownext.com/oldest-gay-bars-in-america/10/2017/

[Guest]

Fried clans are also very popular in Massachusetts. Not sure about in Provincetown though

Doesn't sound too appealing to me! ?

Edited March 20, 2021 by Unicorn

[Guest]

Ok so someone was just enlightening me on Provincetown and compared it as being the Palm Springs of the east coast. I have never been to either and I'm curious what other people's view is on this comparison. Which do you perfer more and why?

Pretty easy. Provincetown from May to September, PS from November to April. Not sure about October.

[italianboyph]

I agree, first time I went to Fort Lauderdale it definitely reminded me of Palm Springs with a beach

ptown is it’s own magical town.. nothing compares

[Cari]

ptown is it’s own magical town.. nothing compares

 

never been, but sounds great